Coupled hydrodynamic-structural response analysis of piping systems

The expansion of the ICEPEL code for the coupled hydrodynamic-structural response analysis of pipe-elbow loops to general piping systems is described. A generalized piping component model, a branching tee junction, and a surge tank model were introduced and coupled with the pipe-elbow loop model so that a general piping system under the effect of internally traveling pressure pulses can be analyzed hydrodynamically, as well as structurally. Optional capabilities were included in the generalized piping component model so that it can be used in modeling pipe flow area changes, valves, and heat exchangers. The options were: nine different axisymmetric exterior wall configurations, elastic-plastic exterior walls, interior rigid-wall simulation, and heat exchanger tube-bundle model. The implicit continuous-fluid Eulerian (ICE) differencing technique was used in the hydrodynamic part of the analysis; the waves in hysteretic arbitrary media finite element scheme was used in the structural response part of the analysis.